


For Love of a Puppy

by hawk_soaring



Category: NCIS
Genre: Consensual Kink, M/M, Puppy Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-12
Updated: 2013-05-12
Packaged: 2017-12-11 17:09:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/801108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawk_soaring/pseuds/hawk_soaring





	For Love of a Puppy

Title: For Love of a Puppy  
Author: hawk_soaring  
Fandom: NCIS  
Pairing: Gibbs/ DiNozzo  
Rating: FRM for mature themes

Prompt: [](http://sinfulslasher.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**sinfulslasher**](http://sinfulslasher.dreamwidth.org/) asked for: I'd be thrilled to see Tony and Gibbs. Hot smut. Kink an added plus.

~*~*~

His hands tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles standing out starkly white against his lightly bronzed skin. Knee-jiggling he could take, finger-tapping he could take – to a certain extent… but things had progressed from those meager annoyances to full blown all out air-drumming – complete with sound effects. Three miles left until he could get off the expressway and, in rush hour traffic, it could take them a while. He wasn’t going to make it without yelling at his passenger to ‘stop fucking around already and sit still!’

Work had been stressful these past few weeks; stressful enough that the Director had sent them home today and told them not to come back for a week. A whole week off. He snorted softly. It wasn’t like they hadn’t earned it. The past three weeks had been filled with a double murder, a kidnapping (totally unrelated to the murder investigation), and an arson investigation that led to the discovery of a drug deal gone bad. The arson investigation had been handed off to another team since they had their hands full working the murder/ kidnapping investigation (that wound up being two separate cases). His team had been working sixteen hour days with no time off. They’d more than earned their week off and he was determined not to start it off on the wrong foot.

Taking a deep breath, he sighed loudly, snarling at the idiot in front of him who slammed on his brakes for no apparent reason and swerving into the lane to his right, cutting off the driver next to him. That driver barely managed to miss the driver who had cut him off and Jethro saw the man shout something unintelligible. He snorted, betting it wasn’t a ‘thank you, kind sir’ that was currently spewing from the man’s mouth. It might almost be worth rolling the window down to hear.

Tony yanked the ear buds out of his ears, sitting up and looking around, obviously wondering why Jethro had slammed on his brakes. One look at the white knuckled grip on the steering wheel was apparently enough and he sighed softly before slumping into his seat again. Jethro would have sworn Tony would say something smart about his driving but, obviously he’d gotten the hint that Jethro wasn’t in the best of moods. Good thing too. Jethro didn’t think he could have let a smart-ass remark go unanswered and he really didn’t want to start their vacation on a bad note.

Within a few seconds, Tony was drumming his fingers again, the near-miss apparently forgotten. Unfortunately, Jethro didn’t think anything else they’d come across in the last three weeks was as easily put aside and he knew that Tony needed some serious down time. His agitation just attested to the fact that Tony was wound tight right now and Jethro knew it would be difficult to get him to relax. Difficult – but not impossible.

~*~*~

Jethro sighed loudly and leaned his head against the steering wheel briefly. They’d made it home in one piece, no thanks to the jerks on the roadways. Rush-hour traffic always bothered him, but not more than when he was exhausted. And he was exhausted.

Tony had startled when Jethro turned the car off, seeming only then to notice that they had arrived home. He stretched and turned to Jethro with a grin. “Ah, home sweet home,” he quipped. “I can’t wait to shower and wash this – tired off of me.”

Jethro looked at Tony, carefully keep his face blank. “Take your time up there, Tony. You need to be thorough tonight.”

Tony’s gaze snapped to Jethro’s, his forehead furrowing momentarily before smoothing out. He nodded once and climbed from the car, stretching quickly before heading into the house. Jethro let out the breath he hadn’t been aware of holding. Tony wasn’t the only one who needed to relax. The week would do them good.

~*~*~

Jethro was just putting the steaks on the plates when Tony walked into the kitchen. He looked up briefly, nodding to the table. Tony was wearing his favorite pair of threadbare blue jeans, no socks or shoes, no shirt, and his hair was damp from the shower. Inhaling deeply, Jethro caught the faintest hint of depilatory and he let a small smile quirk the corners of his lips up for just a moment. The scent wasn’t strong so he knew that Tony had rinsed and washed diligently after using the hair remover – but Jethro’s nose was sensitive and he could always catch just a hint of the scent no matter how hard Tony tried to wash it away.

Jethro watched as Tony took his seat at the table. He’d put something next to his plate and he smile when Tony saw it. Tony looked up quickly, catching Jethro’s even gaze briefly before looking down at his plate.

“Everything okay, Tony?” Jethro asked softly as he took the seat opposite Tony and spread his napkin on his lap.

“Yes, Sir,” Tony replied equally as soft.

“Eat up then,” Jethro chided, gesturing with his fork before cutting into his steak. He watched as Tony dug into his dinner, his hands shaking ever so slightly. If he hadn’t been looking for it, he’d never have seen it. But Tony was on edge – and he never could hide his emotions from Jethro.

Dinner passed in near-silence, the only sounds the clinking of silverware and the sounds of the two men enjoying their meal. Jethro noticed that Tony had finished eating and was silently waiting. He finished up his last bite and sat back, sighing contentedly and wiping his mouth with his napkin. Pushing away from the table, Jethro got to his feet.

“Why don’t you clean up in here and then meet me in the living room?” he asked.

Tony nodded. “Yes, Sir,” he said, getting to his feet and starting to clear the table.

Jethro watched him for a moment before leaving the room. Tony would be about twenty minutes if past experience held true. Jethro picked up the newspaper and then pulled a small chest out of the hall closet before heading to the living room. He might as well do something to relax while he was waiting for Tony.

~*~*~

A soft noise alerted Jethro to the fact that Tony had joined him. Looking up without actually raising his chin, he saw Tony walk across the carpet and sink to his knees in front of Jethro’s chair. Folding his newspaper carefully, Jethro set it aside and looked at Tony.

Tony met Jethro’s gaze for a long minute before looking down and lifting the object he held in his hands.

“Are you sure, Tony?” Jethro asked softly.

Tony nodded once. “Yes, Sir, I’m sure.”

Tony’s voice didn’t waver and he showed no signs of being afraid or upset at what was happening. Jethro watched him for a moment before reaching out and taking the strip of leather from Tony’s hands. As soon as Jethro took the collar from Tony, Tony’s hands dropped to his thighs, palms up, his fingers curled in slightly as he relaxed.

Jethro waited, letting Tony relax for a few minutes. He watched as Tony shifted on his knees and then just seemed to settle, to sink into total submission. That shift in balance, in being was how Jethro knew Tony was ready.

Tony was naked, his hair slightly damp and Jethro knew that Tony had washed up again after dinner. Looking down, Jethro saw that Tony was more than half hard and knew he needed to take the edge off if he was ever going to relax enough to make this work. He got to his knees in front of Tony and, with a gentle nudge, he lifted Tony’s chin, waiting until Tony looked at him – really looked at him, before speaking.

Wrapping his fingers around Tony’s shaft, Jethro smiled into Tony’s heavily lidded eyes. “Want me to help you with this?”

Tony nodded, his tongue snaking out to lap at his lips. “Y-yes, B – Master,” he said softly. His eyes closed as Jethro began to jack his dick slowly.

“Should make you hump my leg, Tony,” Jethro said, leaning forward so Tony’s head was resting on his shoulder. Tony’s low moan of desire told him how much that idea appealed and he mentally made a note of it. Not now – he didn’t want to get sex mixed up in what was going to happen this weekend. Tony needed to know he had a safe outlet, a respite from his frustrations, and Jethro wouldn’t sully that. His hand continued working Tony’s cock, twisting ever so slightly, his thumb rubbing over the moist head on every other up-stroke. Tony’s hips were twitching and Jethro knew he was almost there – almost ready to let go. Picking up the pace just a fraction more, Jethro turned his head and whispered into Tony’s ear, “Now, Tony. Come for me.”

Tony whined, a low needy sound that seemed to build in his throat. His hips snapped forward; once, twice, and he was coming in stuttered spurts across Jethro’s hand and his own legs and stomach. Jethro felt Tony sag against him and easily held him up as he brought his hand to Tony’s lips.

As soon as Jethro’s hand was under his nose, Tony reached out with his tongue and began cleaning his spunk from Jethro’s hand. After a minute, Jethro pulled his hand away.

“Settle,” he said, waiting for Tony to take his own weight before getting to his feet. Leaving Tony on his knees, he retrieved a wet washcloth from the downstairs bath and returned, using it to clean Tony. He tossed the washcloth down the laundry chute and washed up before returning to the living room once again.

“Ready?” he asked easily as he picked up the collar that Tony had handed him a few minutes previously.

At Tony’s nod he knelt again, fastening the collar around Tony’s bare throat and then centering the round tag hanging from the front. When he finished, he ruffled Tony’s hair quickly and then stood. Backing up, he sat in his chair again, watching Tony again.

When Tony looked up at him, Jethro smiled. “Scout?” he said softly. Jethro watched as the man in front of him shifted, bending forward slightly and resting part of his weight on his hands. He chuffed softly and Jethro snapped his fingers. “Come here, boy.”

Jethro watched his pup approach him, sniffing at his hands as if to re-familiarize himself with Jethro’s scent. Once Scout was finished sniffing Jethro’s hand, Jethro began to pet the pup, running a hand from the top of his head, down over his shoulders and back before starting all over again. Scout whined softly and pushed his head up into Jethro’s hand forcefully when he lagged in his petting.

Jethro chuckled and ruffled his pup’s fur playfully. Scout chuffed in seeming agreement with his master’s good mood. Scout stilled as Jethro picked up the small chest, settling easily at his master’s feet and sniffing at the box.

Jethro snapped his fingers and held out his hand. “Paw.” He smiled as Scout lifted one paw and set in Jethro’s hand. Jethro fitted a mitt over Tony’s hand, fastening it snugly before asking for the other ‘paw’ and repeating the process. When both hands were encased in the leather mitts, Jethro got down on the floor wrestling the pup’s legs into knee pads and then fitting leather cuffs onto Tony’s legs, one cuff around each thigh and calf, the chains between them just long enough to allow him to crawl, but not long enough for him to get to his feet. It would remind him and help him to be a good pup.

As soon as Jethro finished fastening Tony’s fetters the pup turned and presented his backside to Jethro, bending down, his chin touching the floor and his bare ass waving in the air as he wagged his hips and yipped playfully.

Jethro snorted softly and pulled a puppy tail out of the toy chest. Settling on the floor next to Scout, Jethro opened a bottle of lube and began to loosen up his pup’s ass. Once the pup was easily taking his fingers, Jethro lubed up the plug end of the tail and pressed it into Scout, pressing gently until it was completely seated. It wasn’t a long plug and wouldn’t arouse Tony/ Scout, but for some reason the tail helped Tony to settle into his pup persona more quickly than if he wasn’t wearing it so Jethro indulged him. It didn’t hurt that Tony looked ‘hot’ wearing it, either. Shaking his head, Jethro silently berated himself for his thoughts. This wasn’t about sex or even about what Jethro wanted. It was about Tony and about what he needed.

Jethro patted Scout on the ass playfully. “Go on, boy. Go find your toys.” Settling back into his chair, he watched as Scout made his way around the room, sniffing cautiously into corners, along the baseboards and into the magazine rack before settling on the wooden box behind the sofa. A yip alerted Jethro to trouble and, when he got up from his chair and walked over to the couch, he saw the pup nosing at the lid of the box with no success, making Jethro smile.

“Is that your toy box, Scout?” Jethro asked as he reached out and ruffled his pup’s hair.

Scout looked up at him and barked once before nudging the wooden box again. Jethro opened the top, removing it completely so it wouldn’t slam down on the pup and setting it behind the box, against the wall. It usually took Scout a while to settle in and he didn’t want to startle him by the box lid falling over and making a loud noise.

Jethro watched, one hip hiked up on the arm of the couch, as Scout nosed around in the low box, rooting around, Jethro knew, for a favorite toy – one Jethro deliberately buried each time he picked up after the pup. Scout’s bottom wagged side to side as he nosed each toy out of the way. Suddenly the pup barked, his bottom wagging even harder and then he backed out from behind the sofa, a soft multi-colored ball clamped between his teeth.

Scout looked up at Jethro and then dropped his ball at Jethro’s feet, giving it a nudge with his nose when Jethro didn’t bend down immediately to pick it up. The pup then sat back on his haunches and looked up at Jethro, whining softly as he tilted his head to one side.

Jethro smiled and picked up the ball, shaking it slightly and making it jingle. It was an infant’s toy and had a bell in the middle. Most rubber dog toys were too hard for his pup’s mouth so he usually bought baby toys for Scout to play with instead of puppy toys. He did have a few puppy toys that squeaked and found that he was inordinately grateful that his pup wasn’t fond of playing with them because he found the squeak annoying. When he’d first bought the squeaking toys, Scout had played with them for almost an entire day. By the end of that day, Jethro found himself snapping at the pup and Scout had picked up the toys and put them in the toy box himself. Jethro had apologized and let Scout sleep on the foot of his bed, but Scout seemed to know not to play with the squeaking toys for very long at one time and rarely brought them out anymore.

Jethro shook the ball in front of Scout and the pup yipped eagerly, getting up onto all fours and wagging his butt. “Go get it!” Jethro said as he tossed the ball gently across the room.

Scout scampered across the room quickly, grabbing the ball in his teeth and shaking his head furiously while growling before bringing it back to Jethro, dropping it at his feet with a soft chuff. Jethro chuckled. “More?” he asked as he shook the toy above the pup’s head.

Scout barked again and Jethro tossed the ball, laughing as the pup scampered across the room again to retrieve it. On the third throw, the ball rolled out into the hallway before Scout could get to it and, when he reached the doorway, he stilled, leaning out as far as he was able and sniffing around before gingerly stepping out into the hall. Once there, he seemed to forget about the ball and began nosing around.

Jethro smiled and sat in his chair. It never ceased to amaze him how Scout always seemed tentative upon first leaving the living room as if he had never been in the house before. But, within minutes, he was usually secure in his environment again and would get into all sorts of puppy trouble if left to his own devices too long.

Over the past months, Jethro had pretty much puppy-proofed the house. He had teased Tony about it once when Tony had questioned why he’d put something in a different place from where he normally kept it. The look of total embarrassment on his lover’s face was like a kick to the gut and he’d apologized profusely for his insensitivity. Even though Tony had forgiven him, it had been weeks before he would even look at Scout’s collar – and it had taken another few weeks for Tony to relax enough to let Scout out to play. Jethro had learned his lesson well as he’d watched his lover suffer for his stupidity.

Jethro heard a scratching sound and sighed softly before getting to his feet. “Scout!” he said sharply as he walked into the kitchen. The pup had been scratching at the cupboard that held his treats and kibble. “Dinner was two hours ago,” he said as he bent down to scratch lightly behind Scout’s ears. “How can you be hungry already?”

Scout chuffed and pressed up into Jethro’s hand. Jethro was happily ruffling Scout’s hair when Scout twisted and licked Jethro’s hand quickly. It was a game they played: Scout lapping at Jethro and Jethro pulling away at the last moment. Scout looked particularly proud when he made contact and, truth be told, the sign of affection from the pup wasn’t unwelcome. Sometimes he felt adrift when his lover was off playing puppy and, knowing that Scout loved him unconditionally was a definite help.

Jethro scooted Scout out of the way and opened the cupboard, jockeying for position when Scout tried to go around him to get his nose in the cupboard. After a couple of exasperating moments, Jethro gently slapped Scout’s nose. Scout stilled immediately, backing up two steps before lowering his body to the floor submissively, his head down. Jethro heard Scout whine softly when he turned back to the cupboard. Ignoring the pup for now, Jethro bent over and reached into the cupboard, pulling out a tall Tupperware container. If he couldn’t keep Scout from digging at the cupboard, he’d have to move the treats and kibble. It wasn’t like Scout could hurt the cabinet while wearing the mitts, but it wasn’t a habit he wanted to cultivate in the pup. Scout would have to either learn to leave the cabinet alone or he would remove the source of temptation.

Jethro pulled a biscuit out of the Tupperware container. He had the biscuits made special for his pup and Scout always loved them. It was amazing what you could get made into doggie biscuit shapes and Jethro made sure that Scout’s biscuits were suitable for the special needs of his pup. Same thing with his kibble. Jethro always made sure his pup was happy and healthy.

A sigh escaped his lips as he turned to his pup, who was still crouched low, his chin pressed to the floor. Uncertainty and chagrin poured off him and Jethro chastised himself for making his pup feel uncomfortable. This time was about Scout – and about Tony’s needs.

“Come here, boy,” Jethro said softly, crouching down and holding the biscuit out toward the pup. He waited patiently as Scout lifted his head, sniffing tentatively. “Come on, Scout,” he coaxed.

If there was one thing Jethro had learned in his time with Scout, it was patience. Scout could be tenacious, playful, sulky, brave, fearful – you name it and the emotions played out in the pup’s actions, sometimes all in one day. Jethro supposed that was what he enjoyed about Scout’s time with him – getting to watch as the pup explored his environment, getting to pet him and play with him, and reaping the benefits of the unconditional love that a pup could bestow on its owner, because, as much as he’d fought just the thought of ‘ownership’ of someone, he’d quickly come to realize that the ownership of the pup was part of the entire package that was his lover.

Loving Tony had been the easy part after all, and he never thought he’d be admitting to that. Hell, when he’d first realized he needed to acknowledge his feelings for the other man, he’d fought with himself long and hard. It had been Tony who had laid things on the line finally – after a long day and half a bottle of bourbon drunk while sitting on Jethro’s workbench, watching as Jethro worked on the boat currently residing in his basement. Jethro had tried, unsuccessfully, not to notice how Tony filled out his worn and faded blue jeans, how beautiful his bare feet were as they swung gently back and forth below the edge of the workbench, or how decadent Tony’s lips looked wrapped around the neck of the bottle of bourbon.

And then Tony had said it – had told him that he had the hots for him and it was time he told him because they’d been working together for over two years by then and he didn’t usually last longer than that at a job – and he wanted Jethro to know before he did something and fucked things up badly enough that Jethro fired him. And then he’d chuckled a little and said that, maybe he’d just done that anyway.

Before he knew it, Jethro was standing in front of Tony, gently picking the bottle of bourbon from Tony’s fingers and setting it aside before leaning in and placing a light, chaste kiss on Tony’s lips. “Didn’t fuck anything up, Tony,” he had said softly before picking up the bottle and taking a long drink and then wiping the back of one hand across his lips. He watched Tony’s gaze follow his hand and smiled. His grin widened when he saw Tony swallow, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Their relationship had started off with a bang: hot, smoking sex, one or the other sleeping over nearly every night. It didn’t take long for Tony to sublet his apartment and move into Jethro’s house permanently. Weeks went by and he began to notice something off with Tony. He watched, waited – and secretly fretted. After all, he was older by a few years, his hair was gray. Maybe Tony wanted something different, younger, and a little wilder.

Jethro had finally cracked and approached Tony one evening, hesitantly asking if Tony had found someone else and becoming slightly belligerent when Tony had denied it. Like a bulldog, Jethro had kept at it, poking and prodding until Tony had blurted out his secret need – and then he’d run, leaving Jethro gaping, open mouthed at the closed door.

It had taken a while for him to find Tony. Determined not to let Tony just walk away without some sort of discussion, he’d followed, locating his lover at the park where they ran. They’d talked, sitting on a picnic table, their feet on the bench seat, legs touching from hip to knee.

Jethro had noticed Tony’s submissive side early on in their relationship and had begun testing the waters recently, learning his and Tony’s limits. To him, this was just one more facet to the man he loved, not an obstacle to be overcome. So, once he’d talked Tony into going home with him, he’d started researching, learning all he could about puppy play. Once he was comfortable with the information he’d unearthed, he and Tony had talked again – setting limits and expectations.

The first time Scout had come out to play Jethro had felt out of his league. He hadn’t had a pet since he was a teenager and seeing Tony on his knees in the puppy gear had thrown him harder than he’d expected. His discomfort had thrown Tony out of puppy mode after just an hour and even though he’d told Jethro it didn’t matter, Tony’s mood had been off for days. Tony had baulked at trying again, but Jethro’s persistence had paid off and Scout had come to play again a few weeks later.

Scout’s second outing had been a bigger success and he’d stayed all day, nosing around the house and even letting Jethro take him outside for a walk. This time when Tony had come out of puppy mode, as Jethro had begun to call it, they had another long talk about Scout’s needs and over the next few weeks the two men had worked together to get things ready for Scout’s next visit. They had purchased a crate for those times when Scout needed to be confined and a large sized doggy bed. Jethro had also finished fencing in the back yard, making it safe to let Scout outside to play – off the leash.

~*~*~

A light scratching sound roused Jethro from his thoughts and he looked up to see that Scout had finished his biscuit and was scratching at the back door. Pushing off from where he was leaning against the counter, Jethro smiled. “It’s getting pretty late to be out, Scout.”

Scout barked once and nosed at the door.

“Oh.”

Scout’s leash hung on a hook just inside the back door and the pup tugged on it as Jethro moved to open the door. Jethro attached the leash to Scout’s collar and pushed the door open, waiting patiently for Scout to exit ahead of him.

True to form, Scout sniffed at the door frame before stepping gingerly out onto the back deck and then down the two steps onto the lawn. Nose to the ground and tail wagging, Scout began nosing around the yard. Jethro tagged along behind the pup, letting him take his time. It was starting to get chilly outside and Jethro thought it was a good bet that Scout wouldn’t take too long to do his business before heading back into the relative warmth of the house.

After a couple of minutes, Scout made his way to the small patch of sand in the far corner of the lawn. Jethro turned his back when Scout sniffed at the grass around the sand and then looked up at him. A minute or so later Scout stepped out of the sand, shuddering once before heading toward the house.

When Tony had first suggested the sand box to Jethro, he’d almost called everything off. He didn’t see how Tony could want to do that – to relieve himself outside like an animal. And then they’d talked and he’d gotten it. Bodily functions were just one aspect of this puppy play that Jethro needed to come to grips with.

When Jethro and Scout got back inside, Scout headed back to the living room while Jethro hung the leash on the hook by the back door. When Jethro walked into the living room, Scout was nowhere to be seen. Jethro looked around, frowning for a moment before he heard a soft snuffling sound coming from behind the sofa. When Jethro looked, he saw Scout was burrowing through his toy box again and Jethro smiled as the sight of the pup’s butt wagging side to side as he rooted through the toys in the box.

After a couple of minutes, Scout backed out from behind the sofa, a stuffed tiger gripped in his teeth. He put the tiger on the floor, laying down on his stomach, and putting his chin on it, his gaze on Jethro, who had retreated to his chair to wait for his pup.

This was Scout’s signal that he was tired; the tiger was the one thing he always slept with. Jethro smiled as he got to his feet and stretched, surprised to see that it was later than he’d thought. No wonder Scout was tired; the week had been stressful and it was past their normal bedtime.

“Come on, Scout. Let’s get to bed,” Jethro said as he walked past the pup and headed for the stairs.

Scout chuffed agreeably.

~*~*~

Jethro watched fondly as Scout sniffed around his crate and then the large dog bed under the window before nosing open the closet and tugging out his blanket. The pup then dragged the blanket over to the dog bed, scratching and nosing it into an untidy heap in the center of the cushion before fetching his tiger from just inside the door. Scout turned in circles on the blanket before finally settling on his belly, chin resting on his stuffed tiger. He was still in the same position when Jethro came out of the bathroom a few minutes later.

Approaching the pup, Jethro noticed that he was nearly asleep and he smiled. “Hey, Scout,” he said softly as he hunkered down beside the cushion. The pup looked up at him and pushed up so he was sitting on his haunches again. Jethro reached out and gently petted the pup, running his hands through the hair on his head and then down over his shoulders and back. “Ready for bed then, pup?” he said as he reached to Scout’s legs and unfastened the thigh to calf cuffs. Scout whined softly as Jethro unfastened the mitts on his front paws, but Jethro was adamant about letting Scout have free range of movement at night. If Scout had exorcized Tony’s demons, he’d come out of his puppy persona. If not, then Scout would sleep on the doggy bed and Jethro would put the restraints back on him after his bath in the morning. This time, he’d be surprised if Scout didn’t stick around for a few days – Tony needed it. Hell, if it helped his young lover heal, he wouldn’t mind if Scout stuck around all week.

Jethro petted Scout once more, smiling when the pup licked his hand quickly and then bending to place a light kiss on his pup’s head before standing with a soft groan as he stretched to ease the ache in his lower back. Some people carried their tenseness in their shoulders but his always settled in his lower back. Sighing, he wrapped a ThermaWrap around his waist and crawled into bed, pulling just the sheet up over his naked body since the room was warmer than usual with Scout sleeping there. Jethro wouldn’t take the chance that Scout would get sick.

~*~*~

Jethro woke early. It didn’t matter if it was a Wednesday or a Saturday; his body clock was set to 4:15 a.m. He sighed softly and stretched, noticing a heavy weight at the foot of his bed. Lifting his head, he peered into the dimness. When Scout came to visit, Jethro always had a night light lit in the bathroom and left the door ajar so it wasn’t pitch black in the bedroom. Jethro smiled as he recognized the curled up figure at the end of his bed – the weight, if you will. Sometime during the night, Scout had crawled up onto the bed and curled up near his feet.

With a grimace, Jethro sat and then eased from the bed, walking over to Scout’s dog bed and picking up the pup’s blanket. He covered Scout with the light blanket, letting his fingers card through the pup’s hair briefly before heading to the bathroom. Once he was awake, he needed to go – badly. Next up: coffee. He looked at the bedside clock: 4:22 a.m. The coffee pot should have clicked on twelve minutes earlier.

Jethro stretched, wincing at the pull in his lower back. The heat wrap had helped – but what he really needed was a massage. A cup of coffee would have to do for now. He’d need a puppy sitter for Scout if he was going to leave him for any length of time – and Scout wasn’t ready for that yet. Pulling on a pair of fleecy sweatpants and, with a last fond look at his pup, Jethro opened the bedroom door, shutting it quietly behind him, and made his way downstairs.

Coffee. Jethro inhaled deeply of the aromatic fumes before lifting the large mug to his lips and taking a long sip of the nearly scalding brew. Breathing out in a harsh sigh, Jethro turned and started up the stairs. Scout would be waking soon and the pup always needed to go outside soon after. As he climbed the steps he planned their day: potty break, breakfast, bath (for Scout)/ shower (for Jethro), puppy play, lunch, puppy naptime.

Jethro snorted softly as he hit the top of the stairs. If there was one thing he had learned since Scout had come into his life it was to not plan anything too carefully. Last time he’d tried, Scout had decided to get frisky during his bath and Jethro had spent the entire afternoon cleaning up the bathroom. Time before that, the pup had gotten into the kibble and eaten half a bag.

That time Scout had gotten so sick Jethro had thought he would have to take him to a doctor (and wouldn’t that have been a sight). Scout had lain on the lawn in the sunshine, weak from throwing up, staggering to his hands and knees only long enough to move to his sandbox to throw up again and again. That time, Jethro had called Ducky, who had brought Gatorade, checked the pup over, and pronounced him to be in no danger. Scout had whined when Ducky had approached him and Jethro was sure the doctor’s presence would be enough to toss Tony out of puppy space. But Scout had looked at Jethro and then closed his eyes, allowing Dr. Mallard to check him over, which he did quickly but gently before leaving Jethro with strict instructions to put the kibble into something a little more puppy-proof.

Scout woke as Jethro opened the door, cocking his head and looking so adorable, Jethro couldn’t help but smile. “Hey, pup,” Jethro said softly as he approached the bed. Scout whined low in his throat and Jethro smiled encouragingly at him. “It’s okay, boy,” he said, knowing that Scout had most likely had a nightmare to have wound up sleeping at the foot of his bed without an invite from him, though the fact that his pup had nightmares at all worried Jethro on some basic level. Something had happened in either Tony’s or Scout’s past that didn’t just go away when he was in puppy-mode – something Jethro wasn’t privy to. Scout probably thought he’d done something wrong if the worried look in his eyes was anything to go by. Reaching out carefully, Jethro carded his fingers through Scout’s hair before petting him gently, running his hand from the top of his head, down over his shoulders and back, to his flank. “Good boy,” he praised as Scout pushed up into his hand.

Scout huffed out a soft bark and then whined again.

Jethro stepped back. Scout routinely followed Tony’s bodily demands and Tony usually had to pee within minutes of waking. “Come on,” he said, watching as Scout backed off the bed having learned the hard way that jumping from the bed onto the hardwood floors was painful. Jethro turned to leave the room and was stopped by a rough bark. Turning around again, he saw that Scout was nosing at his restraints. Jethro sighed and picked up the straps and chains. “Come,” he said over his shoulder as he walked from the room.

Scout followed, snuffling softly. Jethro smiled, walking down the stairs slowly. Scout wasn’t really designed to bound up and down the steps but he tended to forget if Jethro ran them. Having watched as Scout tumbled down the stairs once was more than enough to remind Jethro to go slowly – and, hence, insuring that Scout would go slowly and carefully.

Jethro let Scout out the backdoor, shooing him on his way when he hesitated. He knew the pup wanted his restraints but he wasn’t putting them on him and then taking them off again for his bath – and he needed his bath today. He’d have to make do with mitts this morning. Everything else would come later.

After pouring himself a second cup of coffee, Jethro leaned against the door frame, watching as Scout shivered in the chill air. The pup was nothing if not stubborn, however, and he nosed around the enclosed yard for a few long minutes before heading to the sandbox.

Scout started back toward the house. Jethro waited, smiling when their gazes met and Scout picked up his pace. The pup was shivering slightly when he got inside and Jethro shook his head fondly.

“Had to nose around out there, huh?” he murmured as he rubbed the pup down with a soft towel he kept on hand for damp mornings and rainy days. “Gimme just a minute and your breakfast will be ready, okay?”

Scout chuffed agreeably and nosed at Jethro’s hand.

Jethro smiled and put Tony’s bowl on the floor. “Just a little something,” he said seriously. “I don’t want to spoil your breakfast.” He watched as Scout stuck his nose in the bowl, almost daintily picking up a biscuit and eating it. Turning toward the stove, Jethro remarked, “Don’t make a mess with those cookies, Scout. I expect you to clean up anything that drops on the floor.”

He never would have said that a year ago when they had started all of this. Watching Scout eat, he’d winced and then pushed the pup aside before he could lap up the spills. Now, he made sure the floor was kept spotless and let the pup, well, be a pup. Little things could jar Tony out of puppy space and Jethro knew he really needed this time to relax. No, he’d made enough mistakes in the beginning of their relationship – and he’d learned from them. Scout was happier now, which meant Tony was happier.

Jethro picked Scout’s bowl up and dumped the eggs he’d scrambled in. Setting the bowl on the counter he checked the bacon, smiling down at Scout and patting his head fondly when the pup whined. “Just another minute, boy,” he said as he nudged the pup away from the stove so he could open the oven door. Steam wafted out, carrying the scent and sound of sizzling turkey bacon with it.

Scout barked, lifting his butt and lowering his shoulders and head. Jethro watched the pup wag his butt eagerly before reaching in the oven, taking out the broiling pan, and setting it on the stove top. He tapped Scout on the nose as the pup lunged toward the stove, seemingly eager to get to the mouth-watering fare.

“No!” Jethro said sharply, adrenalin and fear making his heart race. Sometimes he forgot how puppy-like Scout really was.

Scout immediately hunkered down, backing away from Jethro slowly and whining softly. Jethro closed his eyes and counted to five, his knuckles white on the edge of the counter. If he ever found out who had hurt his pup so badly he would make him regret ever setting eyes on him. When Jethro had his emotions under control, he squatted, holding his hand out to his pup.

“C’mere, Scout,” he said gently, waiting patiently while Scout first scented the air and then eased forward slowly. He petted Scout tenderly, murmuring to him that he was a “good pup” and feeling him relax under his fingers. When he was sure Scout was more relaxed, Jethro stood again and added turkey bacon to the eggs in Scout’s bowl. “Breakfast, pup,” he said as he set the bowl on the floor.

Scout looked at the bowl and then up at Jethro again, almost as if asking for permission to eat. Jethro nodded.

“Go ahead,” he said. “Eat up before it gets cold.”

Scout barked once and stepped gingerly forward. Jethro backed away and smiled when Scout began to eat noisily, only then turning back to the stove to cook his own breakfast. Within a couple of minutes Jethro set his plate and mug on the table and began to eat. When he was finished Scout was watching him.

Jethro noted that Scout’s bowl was empty and the floor around the bowl spotless. Maybe the pup hadn’t created any mess, but Jethro knew that Scout would have nosed around to find any stray scraps before sitting back on his haunches like he was. Smiling, Jethro got up and picked up Scout’s bowl, placing it into the sink along with his own dirty dishes.

“Good boy,” he said as he petted the pup affectionately. He quickly rinsed the dishes and put them into the dishwasher, leaving the bacon pan to soak in the sink before turning back to the pup. “Bath time, Scout,” Jethro said as he walked from the kitchen. He knew Scout would have given him “that look”, the one designed to make him forget about anything Scout didn’t want to do. But Scout needed the bath, if for nothing more than to banish the chill from going outside. Besides, giving Scout a bath relaxed him and these puppy times couldn’t all be about the pup, could they? That he liked to bathe Scout had bothered Jethro at first, but he’d come to terms with it as he had come to understand more about why Scout completed Tony.

He finished the bath quickly, allowing the pup one quick shake before he rubbed him dry with the warm towel. Leading the way, Jethro headed back down the stairs. Bypassing the kitchen, he headed into the living room, a bit surprised when he heard Scout bark behind him. Scowling, Jethro headed back out into the hallway, following the yips and barks back to the kitchen and smiling when he Scout saw him and started wagging his butt excitedly before nosing at the pile of chains and straps Jethro had dropped just inside the door.

“Yeah, yeah, forgot this, didn’t I?” Jethro said easily and he hunkered down and outfitted the pup for the day. It always amazed him, but he could visibly see Scout relax when the restraints were fastened on him, sinking that much more into the role of “pup” with each strap and chain that Jethro put on him until he was his normal exuberant self by the time Jethro finished. “There ya go, boy,” Jethro said with a quick pat to the pup’s head as he stood.

Knowing that Scout needed to just be a pup without having to think about it, Jethro headed to the basement. He would work on the boat and let Scout do what puppies liked to do, namely, play or nap – or get into mischief, but he wouldn’t dwell on that. Whatever happened, he would deal with later. The house was pretty much puppy-proof at this point so Scout couldn’t get into any trouble that would hurt him.

~*~*~

It was hours later when Jethro heard the floorboards creak. Looking to his right he saw that Scout was asleep on the large dog bed at the end of his workbench, his chin resting on his stuffed tiger. The pup didn’t stir as the footsteps drew closer and Jethro shifted a little, hiding Scout behind him and putting himself in direct view of the basement stairs.

“Bossman!”

“Sh!” Jethro admonished, relaxing a bit and putting his sander to the skeleton of the boat again.

Abby grinned when she saw Scout asleep on the dog bed in the corner. “He’s so cute,” she gushed in a loud whisper.

Jethro frowned. “What brings you here?” he asked gruffly.

Abby chuckled, obviously not cowed at all by Jethro’s mood. “Just visiting my friends,” she said easily. “So what are you two planning for your week off?”

Jethro snorted. “You mean besides this?” he asked, inclining his head toward Scout.

Abby smiled as she watched the pup. “He really needed this, Jethro. I’m so glad you’re able to give it to him.”

“Wouldn’t be much of a partner if I couldn’t,” he groused, not upset at the circumstances as much as by the fact that most people wouldn’t expect him to be able to give so much. At least Abby and, probably, Ducky knew him better than as just the surface bastard he projected to most people.

When Jethro turned to put his sander back on his workbench he hissed out a curse as his back protested the movement, catching his weight against the side of the bench and curling his fingers against the wood. The gentle hand on his shoulder startled him and he flinched, wincing at the sudden movement.

“Your back, huh?” Abby asked softly. “Come with me and I’ll take care of that.”

“I can’t – Scout –“

“Needs you healthy,” Abby said quickly.

Jethro sighed, looking down at his pup, who was still sleeping. “I can’t just leave him down here. There’s too much for a pup to get into.”

Abby smiled. “Head upstairs. Take a hot shower. I’ll meet you in your room in ten minutes.”

Jethro nodded, the pain radiating from his lower back simply too much to deal with at the same time as arguing with Abby’s logic. As he walked up the steps he saw Abby bending down to wake Scout.

~*~*~

His shower took nearly fifteen minutes, but part of that was spent in climbing the stairs. Each step felt like a knife digging into his lower back and he was nearly winded by the time he hit the top step. It took another few minutes to get undressed and he was very glad he’d forgone a shirt because pulling it over his head would have been sheer agony. How his back seized up so quickly he’d never know but just the thought of a massage made him groan softly. Abby had great hands and, as he stood under the pounding water in the shower, he couldn’t think of anything but those strong hands working the knots from his muscles. It would be agony – but he’d take it because he knew from experience that only a hard massage was going to loosen up his spasming muscles.

Jethro stepped out into the bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. He stopped just inside the doorway, watching Abby. She was sitting on the bed, her legs crossed tailor fashion, petting Scout, who was curled up on his side facing her. As he watched, Scout looked up, meeting his eyes before looking away quickly and beginning to back off the bed.

“Scout, stay,” he said firmly. The pup stopped, whining softly as he looked at Jethro again. Jethro stepped forward, reaching out and ruffling Scout’s hair affectionately. “Good boy, Scout,” he said, smiling when the pup licked his hand. “So, are you going to keep me company while Abby tortures me?” he asked the pup seriously, grinning when Scout looked at Abby and then back at him, cocking his head quizzically.

“Come on then,” Abby said with a grin. “If you want torture, I’ll give you torture.”

Jethro climbed gingerly onto the bed, laying on his stomach and folding his arms around his pillow. Scout growled softly as he moved to lie beside Jethro.

“’S okay, Scout,” Jethro murmured, patting the bed by his head awkwardly. “Come up here so I can see you.”

Scout rearranged himself, moving into Jethro’s sight and laying with his head close to Jethro’s.

Jethro jumped a little as Abby drizzled warm oil on his back, smiling when she scolded him softly, telling him to be still. He absently ran his fingers through Scout’s hair as Abby began to rub the oil lightly over his back. He’d let Abby give him a massage before, letting her talk him into a massage after a particularly bad day and only after she had informed him that she’d “taken some classes” and wanted to keep up her skills.  
After that, he looked forward to those times she would ask, never asking for himself but not turning down the offer either. And she always seemed to know when he needed it.

After a couple of minutes Abby began to work the oil in a little harder, seeming to find his sorest spots by instinct alone. Unable to hold back, he cursed eloquently when she pressed into a particularly painful spot. Abby chuckled, quieting when Scout lifted his head and bared his teeth at her in a low growl.

“Gibbs?” Abby said quietly.

“Scout,” Jethro warned, “Abby isn’t hurting me. Calm down or I’ll put you in your kennel.”

Scout whimpered and licked at Jethro’s hand before lowering his head again.

“It’s okay, boy. Just be nice. Abby isn’t hurting me.” Jethro put lie to his words as he groaned again. Abby was really working him over – either that or he was in worse shape than he’d first realized. Scout’s whimper of distress brought his attention back to the pup beside him and Jethro began to pet him again, hoping to calm the pup long enough so Abby could finish with his back. He needed this but he wasn’t willing to make Scout uncomfortable just to find his own relief.

At some point, Scout pulled his tiger up beside him and fell asleep, his head on the tiger and Jethro’s fingers tangled in his hair. Jethro sighed softly, letting himself drift under Abby’s strong hands.

~*~*~

When Jethro woke, the room was shrouded in darkness. He stretched, yawning expansively, before his brain caught up with the rest of his body. “Fuck, Scout!” he said as he sat up and looked around the room.

The nightlight wasn’t on in the bathroom and Jethro swore under his breath again. “Scout?” he called softly, noticing for the first time that his was naked. He frowned and looked down. Seeing the towel puddled on the floor at his feet reminded him that Abby had been here and had given him a massage. He must have fallen asleep, but that didn’t tell him where his pup was. Turning quickly, he picked up his sweatpants from the valet chair against the wall and slipped them on.

Jethro walked down the stairs quickly, listening carefully for any sounds. His gut was roiling. If Scout had gotten hurt because of his inattention, he would never be able to forgive himself. What the hell had he been doing, falling asleep like that? And what had happened to Abby? Had she just simply walked out after finishing his massage?

A soft sound grabbed Jethro’s attention as he reached the bottom of the stairs and he turned toward it, stepping toward the doorway into the living room. The sight before him literally stopped him in his tracks.

Abby was squatting down in the center of the room, her back to where Jethro was standing in the doorway. Jethro could see Scout in front of Abby. It looked like he had a towel clenched in his teeth – and Abby was possibly holding the other end. Scout’s butt was in the air, his teeth bared as he tugged on the towel. And that was when Jethro “got it”. Abby and Scout were playing a simple game of tug-of-war. Abby was giggling softly and Scout was growling.

Just then Scout glanced Jethro’s way. Jethro saw the recognition in his pup’s eyes a split second before his pup let go of the towel and yipped excitedly. As Scout let go of the towel, Abby was thrown off balance and landed inelegantly on her ass in the middle of the room. Abby laughed loudly as Scout barked, jumping on top of her in his haste to get to where Jethro stood, laughing at the sight before him.

As Scout nipped playfully at Abby’s flailing hands, Jethro stilled. This was it. This was what he’d been searching for since Shannon and Kelly had been killed. This. The chaos of owning a puppy, having a lover who never ceased to amaze him with how much he was loved, and good friends.

“Hey, Bossman,” Abby greeted, still lying on her back on the floor. “You feeling better?”

Jethro grinned as he squatted down to accept puppy kisses from Scout. “Yeah, Abs. I’m feeling great.”

~*~*~

END


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